Summer Nights
by allonsysilvertongue
Summary: At six year old, Effie Trinket was convinced that the eight year old boy with dirty blonde hair who often jostled her roughly when her mother was not looking and made her run after him in the summer heat was the best friend she needed. The same could not be said for Haymitch Abernathy.
1. What's the deal, Mr and Mrs Trinket?

_Hello everyone, this is a hayffie au. I have done a gifset many many years ago of Haymitch and Effie knowing each other from a young age but I never did write it until this idea popped into my head about a week back. I know it sounds odd but I hope you'll give it a chance, and we can have a chill ride with the story._

 _Anyway, hy headcanon has always been that Effie's always six years younger than Haymitch but for this story, I have decided to shorten the age gap otherwise it'll be just creepy and I have also scaled down some timelines._

 **Chapter 1 – What's the deal, Mr. and Mrs. Trinket?**

Haymitch Abernathy stood by the porch, watching the car drive into the compound. As it made a turn to park, the young girl caught sight of him. Her face bloomed into a smile and she waved enthusiastically through the window.

He waved back with a grin, one hand still clutching on to his younger brother.

Next to him, his mother stood tall, dutifully waiting for the guests' arrival.

"Hello," Effie Trinket walked up to them.

At six year old, Effie Trinket was convinced that the eight year old boy with dirty blonde hair who often jostled her roughly when her mother was not looking and made her run after him in the summer heat was the best friend she needed. Everyone has a best friend so she was entitled to one too.

On her eighth birthday, he was _still_ her best friend despite having already made other friends in school. It was just so unfortunate that he lived so far away and they only get to meet during the summer.

When Effie turned nine and her family made the trip down to the other end of the country where Haymitch stayed, he gave her a box. In it was a bracelet made from macaroni shells he had sneaked from the kitchen and painted over the winter.

"My birthday is over," she told him.

"I know," he said. "But I don't get to see you until summer so there."

She kept it safe in her nightstand drawer back home, too afraid to wear something so fragile lest she broke it.

At that age, Haymitch was her only male friend. It meant none of her other friends in school believed she had a friend of the opposite gender since they had never meet or seen him before. It made her mad when they started referring to Haymitch as her imaginary friend. He was as real as them, but so be it. Perhaps it was better that they had never and would never meet him. He was dear to her and the last thing she wanted was to have anyone coming to steal her best friend away like they had taken Valeria from her.

Haymitch on the other hand was quite well known in the district and had friends everywhere – girls and boys alike. He made the effort to introduce her to some of them if they happened to come around to the Village when she was there. Sometimes she was scared that he would rather spend his summer with them but he was always there to accompany her.

By the time Effie turned eleven, she thought that the now thirteen year old Haymitch Abernathy was the handsomest boy she ever met, a little rude lately but still very handsome.

"Hey, Effie," he winked in her direction.

 _Rude_ , she thought, for him to take the liberty of using that moniker that only her grandmother called her by and only when they were alone together.

She had told him that fact one night under the startling brightness of the stars and he had declared it to be much better than Euphemia.

"Good morning, Haymitch," she greeted him by his given name because she knew that he detest being called 'Mitch' and while she could have easily just call him by that to irritate him, she was fortunately raised with impeccable manners.

Haymitch flopped down on the seat next to her, immediately reaching out for the chocolate croissant he was so fond of.

"Now children," Lysandra Trinket addressed them and from the corner of Effie's eyes, she could see Haymitch wrinkled his nose at being called a child. "What are you both planning on doing today? Do tell so I may arrange my day accordingly…. Haymitch? I do hope you will have something interesting for my daughter today."

That usually meant that her mother would rather have Effie's day occupied so she would not be bothered for the rest of the day. Effie didn't mind it that much. Haymitch was often very good at keeping her busy from morning till dinner.

Effie turned towards Haymitch expectantly. He paused in the middle of taking a bite from his half eaten croissant.

"What do you wanna do?" he asked.

"It is a hot day, isn't it….? Swimming will be fun."

There was a laugh threatening to burst from that annoying grin on his face that Effie was quick to get a word in before he could speak.

"I have had swimming lessons so I will _not_ be drowning. Father made sure," Effie huffed.

He smirked in her direction.

"Sure," Haymitch said with a chuckle, clearly remembering the incident last summer when she had waded into the deeper end of the pool after he issued a challenge and nearly drowned. "We'll swim."

It was only half past ten in the morning and already, the sun was beating down on them. She already felt sticky under her armpits from the sweat. It was disturbing to know just how much she could perspire by just having breakfast outdoor.

Effie grew restless waiting for Haymitch who had disappeared right after breakfast claiming he had some homework to do. From her experience, he knew he was likely doing homework _for_ his friends. She could never understand why he would allow his friends to pile _their_ homework on him but when she had asked once, he said he had his reasons.

"What time are we going swimming?" she asked, opening the door to his room.

"Later," he answered without even looking at her.

She huffed in annoyance. "When is later? It is so very rude of you to just keep me waiting…"

The only reason Effie indulged her parents in this annual summer trip all the way in this sleepy, quiet coal mining district was because of Haymitch Abernathy. Her father's reason was solely for business while her mother, as advised by her therapist, needed the quiet reprieved every once in a while from the city and the media for all the fame attached to her name. Otherwise, Effie highly doubted that Lysandra Trinket would even agree to spend her summer here.

"Ten minutes," he answered curtly.

Without an invitation and because she knew Haymitch wouldn't mind, Effie sat perched on the edge of his bed. He was hunched over the small study table, scribbling on a note book.

With an impatient sighed, she flopped down on the bed unceremoniously. It earned her an amused glance from him.

"Don't let your mother see you," he commented, turning back to his work.

"Work faster then, before my mother catches me like this. Ladies do not behave this way and you will be sure that I will blame it on you."

He frowned but otherwise did not respond. He hardly ever did when she pulled that card on him. At that age, she barely gave it much thought, simply assuming that like everyone else, he was afraid and wary of her mother.

"When I see you again next year, you will already be starting high school," she remarked, staring up at the white painted ceiling. "Will you be working at the mines? Father said you will eventually."

He stiffened, his pen poised in mid-air.

"Not yet."

His answer was curt and his tone warned her not to pursue the topic any further.

It was odd, she thought. He didn't seem proud of the mines like she figured he would be.

Why wouldn't he be proud of the coal mines?

His great-grandfather who was amongst the first generations to settle in this district town years earlier had sold a large hectare of land to the Trinkets. The land was turned into a coal mine managed solely by her family.

The mine was what gave this town their livelihood and since it was his family's contribution, Effie, without truly understanding the full history, thought that it was something he should be proud of.

Back in the city, in the Trinkets' mansion, her father always talked about the Abernathys as if they worked for him but whenever summer came around and they took a vacation in the Abernathy's house - a house that Haymitch's great-grandfather received as part of the land deal - her parents often treated his family as though they were friends. Her parents' dual behavior confused her greatly but adults, in general, were confusing. All she knew was that Haymitch is her friend and she is his, which was why she was willing to wait for him.

Effie Trinket hardly ever sat around idly waiting for people.

"Alright, come on," he declared finally.

He grabbed the towel that was hanging around the bed post and waited until she left his room before he closed the door.

The pool was small by Effie's standard – a grown man could only complete five broad strokes before reaching the end, which was admittedly deep as she discovered the year before. She had seen more impressive pools in the city, in other mansions and apartment buildings. When she had asked her father about the Abernathy's pool, Stephen Trinket had scoffed derisively and claimed that they were lucky to have it in the first place. Her own grandfather, Matias Trinket, had commissioned the pool to be made for the Abernathys as a New Year gift one year when the coal mine brought in profit above the expected margin.

Of course, she had then asked Haymitch about it but he waved her question away. At times, his reaction to her questions made her form the impression that he didn't quite like this house that his family got from hers, and she could never understand the reason for it.

"So you only learn to hold your breath and float around like a hippo?" he snorted after watching her for a few minutes.

"Do not be rude!" she snapped.

They tended to get into stupid arguments simply because he was overly frustrating and _rude_. She wondered if thirteen year old boys all behave like jerks.

"I'll show you," she turned her nose at him and proceeded to do a few breast strokes and back strokes.

He mockingly gave her a standing ovation complete with an overdramatic bow before he settled down at the spot on the grass where two overlapping tree branches provided him some shade.

"You said you'll swim with me," she pouted.

"I swam with you," he replied without taking his eyes off his book. "Now I'm reading. Shush."

"You are so boring. Really, what is so interesting about the book?"

"I'll find out if you let me read but it'll still be more interesting than watching you swim," he quipped easily.

Effie ignored him after that. She practiced her moves and when she needed to catch a breath, she ended up watching him. Haymitch was on his stomach, half-naked except for the shorts he wore to swim. The sun had long dried his skin but his hair was still damp, making it looked darker than normal. Once in a while, his finger would turn a page from his book and depending on what he was reading, his brows would crease slightly as he concentrated.

"Why are you staring at me?"

She blinked.

"I wasn't," she denied and promptly disappeared under the water.

When she emerged, he was standing at the edge of the pool looking down at her. She didn't realised he had grown this tall until now when she had to tilt her head back to look at him.

"I have to go to town. Get some things for mama for dinner."

"I will go as well," she said without missing a beat. "I do not want to be left alone. What would I do?"

By the time that summer ended, Effie's skin had a healthy tan to it, she had gotten so much better at holding her breath under water and the one thing she was most proud of was that Lief, Haymitch's baby brother, no longer cried when she held him.

"See you next year, Effs," Haymitch said.

She hugged him tightly.

"I'll miss you," she whispered into his shoulder. "I am already counting down for summer next year."

He released her with a smile.

Effie got into the car that would bring her family to the train station back to the city, feeling a little forlorn that time seemed to have fly past. She gave a final wave to Haymitch, his brother and his parents. They were standing in front of the wrought iron gates at the entrance of the village and as the car continued to travel, Haymitch and his family became smaller and smaller before they eventually disappeared from her line of sight when the car rounded the bend.

"You had a word with them, did you not?" her mother spoke.

Effie raised her head, thinking it was her that her mother was addressing.

"Of course," Stephen nodded.

With that, Effie went back to staring out of the window, her hands folded nicely on her lap. The train journey back was the least favourite part of her summer.

"I made it clear that we will not provide any further finances to the mine than what we already have," her father continued. "They are to make it safe for the coming inspection."

"What about production?"

"I have explained that it should be maintained and if targets are not met, there will be consequences."

Her mother laughed a little that and Effie cringed at the pitch.

"That would explain why Lachlan did not look particularly happy the past two days," Lysandra commented.

"Be that as it may," her father replied nonchalantly. "He has two sons to feed and put through school, and an entire town depending on him for their livelihood. He will come through."

As curious as Effie was, her mother had always told her not to poke her nose into other people's business, _especially_ theirs. Whatever it was between her parents and Haymitch's parents was their problem, not hers nor Haymitch.


	2. Would You Care For A Smoke?

**Chapter 2 – Would You Care For a Smoke?**

 _Haymitch: 14 years_

When she came next summer, Effie was bouncing with excitement.

He stared at the box she was showing him, not really understanding the reason why a pair of heels could make her shake with barely contained enthusiasm.

"It's just shoes," he waved at it.

"Not just _any_ shoes, Haymitch. These are my first pair of heels and they are from Christian Louboutin! It is a gift from my parents for my twelfth birthday…"

He scoffed. Whenever she made mindless statement such as that, it made him wonder if she realised just how different their lives were. He doubted it somehow. After all, she was only here for summer and then she was gone. She wasn't here to see the life he lived for the rest of the months when he wasn't made to spend time with her or entertain her every whim.

"Can you walk in those?"

"Of course I can," she deadpanned. "Are you worried that it might slow me down? You shouldn't. I just brought it with me to show you! I have my sandals with me."

"Right," he nodded.

She had told him before that since it was a vacation here, she was allowed to wear her summer dresses with sandals. She was allowed to relax because none of her parent's friends or her friends or her friends' parents would ever see her in this town. Again, it wasn't something he understood so he had simply done what he often did in that situation – in one ear and out another.

That afternoon, she tagged along when he announced that he was heading to town. He had tried to discourage her from it knowing quite well that she would get bored out of her mind at the bookstore but his mother had given him a pointed look and with a sigh of resignation, he trudged out, followed closely by an oblivious Effie Trinket.

As soon as he was out of the Village, he realised he didn't quite care anymore. He had been looking forward to going to the bookstore for the last two weeks before school break. He had taken on extra homework from his friends so he could get some money which he had slowly been saving up.

"Please, can we go already?" Effie whined just as he expected she would. "We have been here for more than an hour."

He couldn't help the huff of irritation nor the disgruntled look he shot her way. Haymitch grabbed the two books and made his way to the front of the store, careful to angle his body away from her so she couldn't see him counting the money in his wallet. He had just enough for two books he noted with satisfaction and he had finished reading that one book in the bookstore earlier. Haymitch glanced behind his shoulder to see Effie looking at him but he was sure he had been discreet and since she said nothing, he assumed she knew nothing as well.

"Where shall we go next?" she asked, walking happily next to him.

It was painfully obvious that she was glad to be out of the bookstore.

"I'm meeting my friends… Guess you'll have to come since you can't go off on your own without me. I won't have your mother scream at me again."

She had the good sense to look guilty about it and wince. The last time he had spent too long reading the books in the store, she had stomped off to make her way back. If he had his way, he would have bought the book and read it at the comfort of his bed but he wasn't blessed with a pocket full of coins so what he did was to try and finish the book at the store itself without having to purchase it. Effie did not know any of that so she had marched off when she grew impatient, telling him over her shoulder that she intent to start swimming but never made it back.

Together with his father and a few other men, Haymitch had searched for her. He found her eventually near the Hob just as the sun was about to set. When they finally brought a shaking and traumatised Effie back, Haymitch bore the brunt of it. He stood in the living room, head bowed while Effie's mother berated him. He was furious and angry, seeing as how it wasn't _his_ fault that she was impatient but he knew that if he mentioned what had happened, Lysandra Trinket would only blame him for not paying her daughter any attention. So he kept his mouth shut and took the scolding.

In the middle of the night, when everyone else had gone to sleep, his mother had sat him down in the kitchen to ask the truth. She was the only one he could share everything with so he told her. He remembered his mother shaking her head quietly before dropping a gentle kiss on his forehead while reminding him to look out for Effie or they would all likely get in trouble for it. Summer would have been better without the Trinkets but that was not something he could control. Effie could be fun sometimes when she wasn't acting like a spoiled princess but her parents… He had never liked them.

"Are they friends from your high school?" she inquired curiously.

"Yeah, Aspen's gonna be there," he said.

"Aspen Everdeen!" she exclaimed. "I do like him. He is quite funny."

"Yeah," he nodded with a quiet chuckle. "There'll be others from class too. We usually hang out after school and make trips to the woods."

"You have never taken me to the woods."

"It ain't your place," he said. "You won't like it there."

"You sound so sure…" she teased. "So who else will be there?"

"Toby … Toby Hawthorne… He came by once if you remember," he said to which she nodded. "Nolan Undersee… Myra Downie…"

Effie frowned.

"That is a girl… I have not heard of her before."

"So smart! Myra _is_ a girl," he mocked.

"What happened to Hazelle Miller?" she asked.

Effie knew Hazelle better than the rest of his friends since she had seen Hazelle on a number of occasions. Hazelle often dropped by whenever Haymitch's mother needed an extra pair of hands in the kitchen and around the house in the summer. She would help and she would leave, never really hanging around to have fun with them.

"She's still around. You want me to tell her that you wanna hang out with her? I think she's out with the twins – Maysilee and Marilyn. I can show you how to get to the Donner's house," he offered and then maybe he could get a few hours free of her.

"No, thank you."

When the boys saw her walking down the road with him, they perked up instantly. They crowded around her even before Haymitch could get a word in. Disgruntled, he left Effie to chat with his friends. They acted funny around her and he passed it off as the thrilled of having a girl from the city even giving them the time of day.

He waved to Myra and sat next to her.

"Are you going to introduce me?" the dark haired girl asked.

Haymitch glanced behind his shoulder to see Effie laughing at something Aspen had said.

"Maybe later," Haymitch answered. "How's it going at home with you?"

Myra was snarky and the deteriorating situation at home didn't help with her disposition. Haymitch sat and listened as she ranted about her absent father, and snorted loudly when Myra's cursing made Effie gasp in shock.

"Ladies do not talk like that," Effie remarked. "She's rubbed off on you, hasn't she? That's the reason your language is just as atrocious."

He rolled his eyes in exasperation but still guided her by the elbow when she nearly made a wrong turn. The sun was starting to set and it was best to get home before dark. They walked slowly along the river to cut through the meadow that would lead them to his house.

"You don't like her," he stated.

She was quiet for a moment as if considering his statement.

"She is different," she admitted. "I – I do not how to deal with it."

"Why? Cause she cursed like a sailor and catches spider to race against Aspen's?"

"Maybe," Effie said before promptly changing the subject. "I wonder what your mother has prepared for dinner tonight… It smells very appealing. Doesn't it make you hungry?"

She hurried past the gate into the house, disappearing into the kitchen to find out. Instead of following her, he made his way back into his room, tossed his book bag below the study table and flopped down on the bed.

He must have fallen asleep because when he felt something poking his sides, he startled awake to see Effie smiling down at him. She had changed, he noticed, into a red dinner dress.

"You should have showered instead of taking a nap. It was hot this afternoon and with all that walking…"

"Don't see why I need to," he countered. "I'll still be perspiring during dinner. I'm assuming your mother's having us have dinner at the veranda again?"

"Yes," she smiled. "I do enjoy having our meals there. It is such a waste for my father to have it installed for your house if we do not utilize it."

He didn't bother telling her that it was only ever used when the Trinkets came to visit. Or that they only have enough for a feast during summer.

"Oh," he stopped just in front of his desk and pulled the drawer open. "I made this for you. We learnt wood carving for art class. I kinda liked it so… I made that to practice."

He shoved the small rectangular wooden box in her hand without looking at her. He wasn't sure if she would like that, not when she could have anything she desired just by asking her parents for it.

"Oh, how pretty!" she exclaimed to his surprise. Her finger trailed over the carved letter 'E' and she looked up at him with a smile. "Thank you, Haymitch."

He smiled then and pushed her out of his room with a playful shove.

After dinner that night, both of their fathers disappeared into the study room to discuss the coal mine. Lysandra remained at the veranda with a glass of wine and a cigarette wedged between her fingers. As he helped to clear the table, Haymitch's eyes darted to her and the cigarette she was smoking.

"It is rude to stare," Lysandra remarked as she took another drag.

He averted his gaze.

"Would you care for a smoke? You only need to ask."

He paused. "I – I have never smoked. Mama wouldn't have allowed it."

"It is likely because she would rather you not waste the money on it. Better to not start a habit if one does not have the financial means to sustain it."

Haymitch gritted his teeth.

"Here," she offered her cigarette to him. The end was stained with red lipstick. "Satisfy your curiousity, if you must."

Naturally, Haymitch hesitated, wondering if this was a trick but she was offering it to him freely and he was curious. He never understood the reason why people smoke. Was it gratifying? Was it something one do to pass the time?

He took the offered cigarette from her, looking at it apprehensively and then he mimicked the action he had seen from her numerous times before. Haymitch put the cigarette between his lips and then he breathed in through his mouth. The first sensation he noticed was that the smoke was cooling on his throat which was not something he expected. He pulled the cigarette away from his lips and stared at it before inhaling it again except this time, he choked and started to cough.

"One should _never_ inhale. Always puff," she reprimanded, taking the cigarette from him to crush it. "Nobody wants to look like a fool hacking and coughing."

Haymitch nodded, his eyes still tearing from earlier but she had gone back to sipping her wine from the glass and ignoring him.

Smoking, he decided as he cleared the remaining plates off the table, was not as cool as people made it out to be. Once he was done helping his mother, Haymitch left the kitchen and into the living room where Effie was.

She was perched on the piano bench with Lief next to her. His baby brother was pressing random keys and laughing delightedly at the noises he made.

"Play something," he said to her as he moved to lean against the piano.

"Why don't _you_ play something for us?"

"Can't," he said and she knew it too.

"There is a piano in your house and you never learnt to play?" she teased.

Haymitch gave a nonchalant shrug.

"It's been here even before I was born. It came with the house."

Her fingers glided gently across the keys, playing a tune he didn't recognise.

"I heard," she spoke quietly, "that your family has a house other than this."

"An old house, in the other part of town," he said, "in the Seam where I was born."

"The poor part," she commented.

Haymitch clenched his jaws but chose not to say anything about it.

"I think it's good that you are here now. You could have been living there!" she glanced up at him but her smile faltered when he didn't seem to have the reaction she expected. "This house is better, isn't it?"

"Sure," he muttered, "wouldn't have had to move here after my grandfather died if it wasn't for the mines."


	3. Do You Like Her?

**Chapter 3 – Do You Like Her?**

 _Effie: 13 years old_

By next summer, Effie was slightly put off by Haymitch's behaviour. He was more irritable and angry, and summer was a little tensed since she felt as if she always had to be cautious around him.

Effie tried to spend time with her father but apart from meal times, she couldn't seem to get her father to want to be with her.

"Play with the boy, sweetlings," Stephen Trinket said distractedly, gently pushing her between the shoulder blades out of the house. "I have to be at the mines."

"He is nowhere to be found, Father," she pouted. "Will you please just take me to the meadow today? We could have a picnic there."

"Euphemia, your father is very busy," Lysandra Trinket chided. "Wherever is your son, Isla?"

Isla Abernathy glanced surreptitiously in Effie's direction, and she couldn't understand it but it was the look in Haymitch's mother's eyes that made Effie felt a little uneasy, a little guilty, as if her very complaining to her father would get Isla in trouble.

"I – I sent him out on an errand," Isla replied, carefully applying a coat of dark blue nail polish for Lysandra. "He should be back anytime soon. Why don't you come sit by me, child? I will do your nails after this, if you like."

Effie bit her lower lip, considering the choices in front of her. On one hand, her father was clearly not interested in spending time with her, more concern as he was with Lachlan Abernathy currently patiently waiting for his employer by the car. On the other hand, she liked Haymitch's mother. She was always so nice and gentle with her, and treated her the way she would treat her sons. Effie always wished her own mother would dote on her that way.

"Will you put some shiny gem on each one?"

Isla smiled beckoning her to take a seat. "I wouldn't recommend the gem. Not for summer, at least. The things you and Haymitch get up to… You will lose the gems and your nails will not be pretty anymore, will it?"

Recognising the truth in that, Effie laughed lightly and shook her head.

"What colour would you like, Effie?"

"Red," she answered without missing a beat. "Haymitch told me it's his favourite colour."

Isla's gaze shot up at her and then it softened. Effie was too young, only in her early adolescent, to have been able to read her expression but if she could have, she would have seen the gleam of sadness and pity in Isla Abernathy's eyes.

"A very basic colour, Euphemia," Lysandra remarked snidely. "Perhaps, something more vibrant… How about turquoise?"

"No, thank you, Mother. The red will do."

Lysandra huffed and left the room to retire to the veranda.

"Haymitch usually takes me along whenever he has an errand to run for you," Effie spoke quietly.

"He left very early in the morning. You were still asleep. It was my fault, child, I told him to let you have your sleep."

Effie dropped her gaze to her fingers and watched as Isla applied fresh coat with careful precision. Deep within her heart, she felt something was amiss. Haymitch's mother wouldn't lie to her, would she?

She didn't see him until later that night when he walked into her room and she swore, her heart skipped a beat.

"I didn't hear you knock."

"That's 'cause I didn't," he shrugged. He had grown taller and a little gangly. There was a pimple on his left cheek, something Effie had pointed out on the first day here. He had merely looked away in embarrassment. "Mama said you were looking for me."

"I was but that moment has passed," she told him coolly.

She was miffed and annoyed.

"What are you doing?" he asked, moving closer to her bed.

"Drawing," she answered. Maybe if she were to give him one word answers and pretend she was not interested, he would leave her alone like he had the entire day.

"I didn't know you could draw. Let me see it."

He sat on the edge of her bed, looking at her with interest sparkling in his grey eyes and she sighed. It was so impossible to stay mad at him.

"Do not laugh," she warned but handed him the sketchpad. "These are just drawing of clothes."

He looked at her in confusion.

"I – " she hesitated, wondering if this was something she wanted to share with him but they were best friends and they tell each other everything. "Mother brought me along during the fashion week where they were having their Fall/Winter collections. I love it a lot. Mother said she would take me along again next time. It was amazing, Haymitch! There were all the pretty shoes and clothes, and Mother introduced me to her acquaintance who is a stylist! So she told me all about designing clothes and that is what I want to do. I want to be a fashion designer."

He blinked.

"So all you do is make clothes? Like a tailor?"

"No, no, no," she shook her head. She was on her knees on the bed, looking at him excitedly. She had never spoken about this dream out loud and it was making her feel all sorts of things. "Tailor sews clothes. Designers _design_ them. Oh, it is all so very exciting the more I think about it."

"Do you have to go to school for that?"

"Of course," Effie nodded. "People will _love_ my designs and one day, I will be famous."

"You will," Haymitch chuckled. "Then you'll forget all about spending your summer here. It'll be boring."

"Never," her eyes widened. "I do not abandon my friends. I will invite you to the city for my show and you will get to see all of my designs."

"Sure," he indulged.

"Promise?"

He merely smiled but it was enough for her. Effie leaned forward and kissed his cheek. He froze and slowly, touched the spot where her lips had touched his skin.

"You won't leave me alone tomorrow, will you?"

"You can't survive a day without me?" he teased.

"Where were you today?"

She could tell that her question did not bode well with him. He stiffened next to her. Effie's gaze was trained on him as he stood up and moved towards the door.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, a'right? Goodnight, Effs."

When morning broke across the horizon, Effie was woken up the crowing of roosters. She had spent several years of summer in this part of the country but she could never get used to all the crowing. Making her way down to the verandah, she broke into a grin when she spotted Haymitch there buttering his toast with the three top buttons of his shirt undone.

"Will you make sure Haymitch gets everything on this list?" Isla requested, pressing a small rolled up piece of paper into her hand.

"Of course, Mrs. Abernathy," she promised and she was more than happy to because it meant she would be spending her day with Haymitch.

They kept glancing at each other over breakfast, grinning and smiling, and once Effie was done with her croissants, she leapt up from her seat which earned a disapproving look from her mother.

"See you later," she waved to her parents.

Haymitch was right behind her and with his long strides he easily caught up with her. Once he was close enough, he placed both hands on her shoulders to guide her towards the back of the house.

"All aboard!" she laughed.

"To the shed, Trinket," he hollered.

They picked up the bicycles leaning against the wall and made their way out of the village. They cycled next to each other leisurely and Effie figured this was a good time as any to talk about yesterday.

"You have something to tell me," she reminded, "about where you were yesterday."

He rubbed his forehead, squinting against the glare of the sun.

"I didn't want to be at home a minute longer and I couldn't wait for you 'cause you were still sleeping so I took off," he said simply which of course, raised several other questions in her mind.

"Did something happen?"

He let out a breath, and stopped cycling. He lifted his shirt and Effie gasped. The skin on his right hip was mottled blue and black. Without thinking too much, she reached out and touched it gingerly but still he sucked in a breath.

"I don't think he meant it," Haymitch lowered his voice as if wary that someone might overhear the conversation. He pulled the shirt down.

"Who?"

"My dad," he admitted. "He's been drinking again and he was in a mood. I – I asked him a question and he told me to go away but I – uh – I kept asking."

Effie shook her head. Haymitch could be very stubborn and adamant.

"He lost control and hit me here, with his bottle. The bottle didn't break. Otherwise, it would have been worst. All I got was this bruise," he said. "Guess I got away alright."

"Does he always… Has he hit you before?"

"Usual stuff you know when I don't listen or I don't behave. He'll twist my ear or hit my palm with his belt, nothing weird. Aspen's father does it to him too. Sometimes dad will shove me inside the house so mama could talk to me. But… nothing like this before."

"What was it that you were asking him about?"

He looked away.

"I asked why he couldn't just stop and find some other job," Haymitch said.

Effie stared after him, not at all expecting that.

"I heard him tellin' mama that the mines have been giving him trouble. He's … I think he's drinking to deal with whatever's going on there. Do you know anything?" he rounded on her. "Did you father say anything to you?"

"No," Effie answered. "You know he would never discuss something like that with me. Besides, I spent most of my time in school and with my friends."

"Yeah? What do you do with your friends, anyway? Paint each other's faces?" he mocked, taking the sight of her in.

Effie bristled. She had spent her morning ensuring that she looked pretty. It was just a little lip gloss and some eye shadow but she supposed if he could mock her about that, then he must have noticed. Suddenly, she didn't feel so irritated anymore.

Besides, he could have mocked her about the drawings he saw yesterday but he didn't.

"Amongst other things," she replied over her shoulder.

She walked ahead in the aisle, picking up an apple to inspect before putting it in Haymitch's basket.

"Weird hobby."

"We do not have rivers and lakes to swim in after school, Haymitch. Or a meadow to catch spiders from," she retorted. "If I were to tell my friends what you and your friends do for recreation, they might just think the same – weird, abnormal."

He smirked.

"Learnt a new word back in school; feisty. I think that's you."

She preened.

"Speaking of lakes, you want to swim at the lake this afternoon?" he asked. "Everyone's going to be there and the boys are asking after you."

He wrinkled his nose when he said it and didn't seem at all thrilled. She wondered the reason behind it.

"What other options do we have aside from swimming at the lake?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "If you want to do something else go ahead but I want to go. Myra's going to be there."

"Myra?" she asked sharply.

"Yeah, what's your problem with her? You still don't like her cause she's different?"

"It's not that," Effie said and walked off.

She watched as he picked up onions and potatoes. She consulted the list and pointed him to the tomatoes.

"Do you like her?" she asked after a while, circling back to the topic that had quite frankly, unsettled her.

Haymitch looked at her. "As in like _like_?"

"Yes," she hissed. "Do you have a crush on her?"

Haymitch gave a goofy smile, one she didn't think he realised he was doing. "She's pretty," he admitted.

"Really? I won a beauty pageant _twice_ in a row," Effie couldn't help but point out.

"How could I ever forget that when you've repeated it about a hundred times…" he taunted.

"Ugh, you never take things seriously. How horrible," she spat.

"Don't act like you don't have a crush on someone in that school of yours. So, come on, which city boy got your attention?"

Effie thought of Marcus almost immediately. Marcus had always been sweet on her since the school year started and he always got her presents. There was also Theron, good-looking and rich, and someone whom her mother had pushed her to befriend for his family's name.

"That is none of your business," she huffed, turning on her heels to find the rest of the items on the list.

She heard him laugh two aisles over.

They cycled over to the lack with the groceries filling their individual baskets to the brim. Haymitch carefully set his bicycle against a big tree, careful not to disturb their shopping. Instead of running off to his friends, he helped Effie down and parked her bicycle next to his.

It was only after that he tossed her a grin, took off his shirt without much delay, leaving his white undershirt on to hide the bruise, and ran towards the lake, jumping into it with a big splash.

Effie was more hesitant as she leisurely made her way over.

"Come on, just take the dress off and get in," Haymitch shouted.

That was such a ridiculous thing to do. She had been under the impression that they would first head back to his house to drop off their groceries which would give her the chance to change into something more appropriate. She had after all bought a new one piece swimsuit which she was eager to put on.

They had argued about this on the way over, naturally, but Haymitch was adamant that cycling back home would be a waste of time.

Behind him, Aspen was grinning. "Come on in! What are you waiting for?"

"Leave her alone," Myra chimed in, treading water next to Haymitch. "She'll come in when she's ready."

Effie gritted her teeth.

The last thing she would do is to sit around waiting for them to be done with their afternoon swim. She also refused to be a mere spectator to this frivolities so despite her better judgment and despite the fact that her mother would be appalled, Effie undid the button at the back of her dress and let it fall to her ankle. Immediately, the boys – Aspen and Toby – started whistling and egging her on. Haymitch grinned.

She waded into the lake. Haymitch met her halfway, just as the water started rising to her calf and held out his hand to help her in.

"Careful, might be slippery," he warned.

He gripped her hand tightly and only let go when the water was above her waist. It was cooling in the lake and when she washed her face with the water, it was tasteless.

"Hey," Haymitch whispered in her ear as he treaded water, "you look pretty, too."

Effie blinked trying to figure out where that statement came from before she remembered the conversation they had the grocery store. She smiled at him.

* * *

 _Young Haymitch is more open and less guarded, adult Haymitch would never have admitted what his father did._


End file.
